BOOK REVIEW YOU AND ME. THE MOST WONDERFUL STORY IN THE WORLD Author: Elisenda Roca From the reader report by: Rodrigo Petronio A beautiful book, simple and very good for cross-cutting themes related to the coexistence between siblings, birth of new siblings, how to deal with differences and possible conflicts. It alternates the voices/talks between the older sister and the little brother who has just arrived. This alternation is often regular, one page for each speech/point of view. Illustrations are very sober and totally match the text’s proposal. Tú y yo: el cuento más bonito del mundo by Elisendra Roca with illustrations by Guridi, is a story to be whispered in the ear. It is the story of the coming of the younger brother, a recurring theme in children’s literature. As it is a commonplace, it follows that the theme can be approached in a variety of ways, and the book does so in a direct, but not hurried, manner. It is narrated by the older brother, who writes a kind of letter to the little one. The older brother has time to get used to the idea, to create in his imagination a reality not yet realized. And, of course, jealousy and insecurity arise: the point of narrative conflict thus completes the thematic framework common to this type of approach. The duo is recurrent: younger brother coming + jealousy showing up. The feeling does not come as something crystal-clear; rather, it gradually grows inside the older brother who, not knowing how to name it, turns to his parents. As can be seen, the theme of the journey of the older brother who gains a baby brother is recurrent, and does not bring many novelties. Here, it can be read with the mediation of an adult, who should explain the many feelings to the child - fear, excitement, doubts, euphoria, loneliness, love, and also jealousy -, enabling links with real life, with the change in the family routine. Illustrations are the allure of the book, mixing different languages with prints, textures, the use of crayons in different colors, and collage of elements. It is a simple and creative book at the same time. Maybe it could be called a classic, in thematic terms.
PUBLISHED IN NEW SPANISH BOOKS BR
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